Checkstrap for looms



Jan. 2, 1951 CHECK STRAP FOR Looms H. T. THROWER ET AL Filed Sept. 22,1949 INVENTORS TTOR/VEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATE CHE'CKSTRAPFOR LOOMS Herbert T. Thrower, Charlotte, and George'W. Keesee, Gastonia,N. C.

Application September 22, 1949, Serial No. 117,102

6 Claims.

picker stick is in the form of a loop, being generally elliptical inshape, and surrounding the upper, free end of the picker stick. Inswinging back and forth between the opposite limits of its range ofmovement, the picker stick alternately engages the check strap at theopposite .ends of the loop and the movement of the picker `stick therebyarrested. As the ends of the loop of a conventional check strap aresubstantially vertical and as the picker stick is inclined with respectt the Vertical in both positions in which it initially engages the endsof the loop, the forces which are to be dissipated are appliedsubstantially in their entirety to the upper edge portion of the checkstrap, thereby excessively stressing such portion and necessitatingfrequent'replacement of the check strap as a result of localized wearand failure.

The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to overcomethe above objections, this object contemplating a check strap which isso formed that the forces which are to be dissipated are taken up by thecheck strap in such -a manner as to avoid excessive wearing or stressingof local areas and thereby prolong substantially the period for whichthe check strap will 1 ing drawings, in which:

Figure l is"-a side elevational view of check strap embodying thefeatures of the invention. the check strap being illustrated inconnection with a picker stick and associated loom parts;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view in plan of the check strap,y the ,latterbeing designed for the left-hand side of the loom and being illustratedin its open, flat condition;

Figure 3 is a similar View of :a check strap for the right-hand side ofthe loom; and

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1.

The loom mechanism with which the check strap is associated, and whichis illustrated in Figure 1, includes la guide I0, a shuttle II which mayreciprocate thereon, an oscillating picker sti-ck I2 pivoted to the loomframe, and a contact block I3 which is engaged by the shuttle.

The check strap in which the features of the invention are incorporatedis illustrated at I4. As in conventional practice, it is the form ofclosed loop which surrounds the upper. free end of the picker stick andwhich isl supported in a generally horizontal position by a bracket I5carried by the guide Ill, the loop being elliptical in shape andsupported' so that the upper end of the picker stick will oscillatealong the long axis of the loop as best shown in Figure 4.

In accordance with the invention, the check strap I4 is preferably soformed that, when supported in the manner illustrated', the picker stickI2 will engage the lower edge of the strap as it approaches the limit ofthe pick stroke (the stroke in which the picker stick drives the shuttleacross the loom) while on the return stroke the picker stick will engagethe upper edge of the check strap as it approaches the limit of itsrange of movement in this direction. The vcheck strap thus arrests thepicker stick as it approaches each limit of its range of movement and inso doing presents its lower and upper edges alternately so that theforces involved will be dissipated throughout both the upper and lowerportions of the strap.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be noted that the right half of the checkstrap loop is substantially horizontal and that the end wall I6 of theloop is substantiallyV vertical while the left half of the loop curvesdownwardly so that the end wall I! is inclined downwardly in thedirection of the picker stick. Hence, although the picker stick isinclined in one direction with respect to the vertical when it engagesone end of the loop and is inclined in the opposite direction when itengages the opposite end of the loon, it will, as described, engage thelower edge of the check strap during nick strokes and the upper edge ofthe strap duriner the return strokes. As the action of the picker stickis more severe. on the check strap during the pick strokes, it ispreferred that the check strap be so formed thatthe loop end I1 will bepresented to the picker` stick at la sharper 'angle than the end I6.This is clearly shown in Figure 1 wherein the picker stick isillustrated in full lines at the instant of engagement with the upperedge of the check strap and in dotted lines at the instant of engagementwith the lower edge of the strap, it being noted that the angle A whichthe picker stick makes with the loop end I'I of the check strap isgreater than the angle B which it makes with the loop end I6.

The check strap may, as illustrated in Figure 2, be formed from a stripI8 of leather or any other suitable material. For approximately one-halfof its length, the strap I8 is straight. The other half of the strap isarcuate, the straight edges of the first half being substantiallytangential at the point of juncture with the curved edges of the secondhalf. The opposite ends or the strap may be slotted as indicated atISiso that-the said ends may be joined to form a loop around the pickerstick and be attached by suitable fastening means 26 to the bracket I5.In this connection it wi-llvbe noted that when the ends of thestrap I8are joined and the loop so formed supported in thev manner described,the straight end of the strap forms one end of the loopA while thecurved end ofthe strap forms the other end of the loop. `Thecurvature ofthe curved end of thestrap may -be variedy to vary the angle at whichthe lower 'edge of the check strap is presented to the picker stick.

From the foregoing itY will be apparent that in the operation of theloom both upper and lower edges ofY the check strap are acted upon bythe'picker' stickr Thereby the. stresses set up in the check strap' and thewearing action of the picker stick on the check strap are widelydistributed so that the development of excessive localized -stressesandiwear are avoided. It will also be apparent tha-t thee straight andvcurved portions of the; strip from which the looped check strapV isformed needV not necessarily be at the opposite ends oi-the' strip asillustrated, although this is preferred. y

'y In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the-check strap isdescribed as being formed and. supported so that the lower edge thereofis engaged during pick strokes of the picker stick while the upper' edgeis engaged during the return strokes of the picker. stick. It will beunderstood, -of course, that this and other features specifical-lyillustrated and described are intended by Yway of illustration only andthat the invention contemplates. broadly any form and arrangement ofthe. check strap-which will insure alternate engagement of; the upperand lower edges of the strap without regard to the character of thestroke of the picker stick at the instant of engagement..

We claim as-our. invention:

1. A check strap for a picker stick which is movable back and forthbetween predetermined limi-ts, said strap being in the form oi' a loop,being adapted to surroundsaid picker stick and being so formed that whensupported in its operative. position one edge of said strapwilllbe'presentedtothe picker stick when the latter apl,preaches one of saidlimits and the other edge will. be. presented when said stick approachesthe other oisaid lim'ts. v

2. A. cheek strapfor a, picker stick which is m-ovableback and forthbetween predetermined limits.said strapV being in the. form of a loop,

being adapted to surround said picker stick and being so formed thatwhen supported in its operative position one end extends away from theplane occupied by the other end, whereby said iirst mentioned end willpresent one edge of said strap to said picker stick when the latterapproaches one of said limits and the other end will present the otheredge of said strap when the picker stick approachesthe other of saidlimits.

3. A check strap for a picker stick which is movable back and forthbetween predetermined limits, said strap being in the form of a loop.being adapted to surround said picker stick and being so formed thatwhen supported in its 0D- erative position one end of said loop willoccupy a substantially horizontal position while the other end of saidloop will curve downwardly, whereby said first mentioned loop end willpresent the upper edge of said strap to the picker stick when; thelatter approach-es one; of. said limits and: the other of said l'ooplends willi present. the lower edge of said strap when said: stickapproaches the'otheroi said? limits..

A check strap for a picker. stick whichis movable back and iorthvbetween predetermined limits, said strap-being in the orm of anelliptical loop, being adapted to surround said' picker stick so thatthe latter will travel along the long axis of the loop and being soformed'. that when supported in its operative position one end of saidloop will occupy a substantially horizontal position while the otherendof said loop will curve away from saidy horizontal position, wherebysaid first mentioned; loep end will'present one edgeV of Sad strap` tothe picker stick when the latter approaches onel of said.` limits andthe other of said loopI ends will present the other edge of saidstrapwhen said: `stick approaches the'other of said limits.

.5. A checky strap of the character described in the form: of a flatstrip and adapted to' provide a loop by connecting the terminal portionsthereof, one terminal portion of said' strip. being straight and theother curved, whereby when said terminal portions are connected the loopthus provided will have one yend which curves away from the planeofthe'other end. v

6. AV check strap of the character described in the form of a flat stripand adapted to provide a loop by connecting the terminal. portionsthereof, substantially one-half of said strip being straightv and theother half` being curved, whereby when said term'nal portionsare con'-nected the-loop thus provided will haveone end which curves away fromthe planev of the other end.

HERBERT T. I'I-IROWER. GEORGE W. KEESEE.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of reoordA in the lle ofthis patent:

UNTLTED STATES PATENTS Rhoades Aug., 22,. 1950

